Mechanisms of Planetary and Stellar Dynamos

Abstract

We review some of the recent progress on modeling planetary and stellar dynamos. Particular attention is given to the dynamo mechanisms and the resulting properties of the field. We present direct numerical simulations using a simple Boussinesq model. These simulations are interpreted using the classical mean-field formalism. We investigate the transition from steady dipolar to multipolar dynamo waves solutions varying different control parameters, and discuss the relevance to stellar magnetic fields. We show that owing to the role of the strong zonal flow, this transition is hysteretic. In the presence of stress-free boundary conditions, the bistability extends over a wide range of parameters.

Proceedings of IAUS 294 "Solar and Astrophysical Dynamos and Magnetic Activity" Editors A.G. Kosovichev, E.M. de Gouveia Dal Pino, & Y.Yan, Cambridge University Press, to appear (2013)

References in corpus (4)

• Mean-field concept and direct numerical simulations of rotating magnetoconvection and the geodynamo
• Dipole Collapse and Dynamo Waves in Global Direct Numerical Simulations
• Relations between dynamo-region geometry and the magnetic behavior of stars and planets
• Bistable attractors in a model of convection-driven spherical dynamos

Cited by in corpus (2)

• Nonlinear regimes in mean-field full-sphere dynamo
• Parametric study and optimization trends for the Von-Kármán-Sodium dynamo experiment